Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



July 22,. 1930. H. c. \IANTASSEL 1,771,195

RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed 001;. 9, 1929 of Fluid INVENTORZ H- 8.1 4 n-tassel f 1.

Patented July 22, 1930 UNITED STATS PATENT OFFICE HARRY C. VANTASSEIQ, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA SWISSV'ALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF RAILWAY-TRAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS 7 Application filed October 9, 1929. Serial No. 398,316.

My invention relates to railway traflic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type involving afluid pressure operatedswitch and a signal governing traffic over the switch, both of which are controlled by manually operable levers located at a re mote point.

One feature of my invention is the provision of means for indicating at such remote point whether or not the fluid pressure available for the operation of the switch is above or below a givenvalue, using certain of the line wires which are employed for the control of the signal to give suchindication.

, I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

' The accompanying drawing isa diagram inatic view showing one formof apparatus embodying my invention. 7

Referring to the drawing, the reference character A designates a railway switch which is operated by a fluid pressure device C, and which device is suppliedwith fluid pressure through a pipe 4 from a source which is not shown in the drawing. Traflic over the switch A is governed by a signal B comprising a high speed arm 1, a medium speed arm 2', andacalling-on arm 3. y r

The switch A and the signal B are controlled by manually operable levers located at a remote point. In the drawing I have illustrated a lever F for the control of signal B, but the lever for the control of the switch A is not shown because it forms no part of my present invention. Furthermore, the control of the arms 1 and 2 of the signal B is not illustrated because the means for controlling these arms, likewise,'forms no part of my invention. I have, however, illustrated the means for controlling the calling-on arm 3 by the lever F.

The calling-on arm 3 is controlled by a relay E. When this relay is de-energized, the calling-on arm is in stop position. When the relay E is energized, the calling-on arm is moved to the clear position by virtue of a circuit which passes from the upper terminal of a battery K, through front contact 8 of relay E, and the operating mechanism of the calling-on arm 3 to the middle point of battery K. When the lever F is in its middle position, as shown in'the drawing, a circuit for relay E is closed, which circuit passes from the upper terminal of battery K, through back contact 77 of a relay D, winding of relay E, line wire 18, resistance 14, contact 11 or lever F, winding of a polarized relay H, and line wire 19 to the middle point of battery K. The current which flows in this circuit is of such polarity that it holds contact 17 of relay H open, and this current is limited in value by the resistance 14 so that the amount of ourrent'fiowing in relay E is not sufiicient to close the front contact 8 of this relay. It follows that calling-011 arm 3 then indicates stop.

I will now assume that lever F is swung to the right. The circuit for relays E andH will then pass from the upper terminal of battery K, through back contact 7---7 of relay D, winding of relay E, line wire 18, resistance 14, back contact 13 of a relay G, contact 10 of lever F, winding of relay H, and line wire 19'to the middle point of battery K. Resistance 14 is still included in the circuit, so that relay E remains de-energized. If now the operator closes a push button 16, relay G will become energized by virtue of a circuit which passes from a battery 15, throughthe winding of relay G, push button16, and contact 9 of lever F to battery 15. Relay G will then remain energized by virtue of a'stick circuit which passes from battery 15, through the winding of relay G, front contact 12 of relay G, and lever contact 9 to batter 15. The front point of contact 13 of relay will now be closed, and lever contact 10 is also closed, so that'resistance 14 will be excluded from the circuit for relays E and H. The amount of current flowing in this circuit will then be sufiicient to close front contact 8 of relay E, so that the calling-on arm 3 of signal B will be cleared. When lever F is restored to its normal position, the stick circuit for relay G will be opened at contact 9, so that this relay will become de-energized, and the parts will be restored to-the positions in which they are shown in the drawing.

If'the lever F is swung to the left to clear signals governing traflic in the other direction over switch A, which signals are not shown in the drawing, the circuit for relays E and H will not be disturbed, because this circuit will then be completed through contact 11 of lever F.

The reference character L designates a pressure responsive device which is connected with the pipe 4 leading to the source of fluid pressure for the operation of switch A. This device L comprises a diaphragm 5 controlling a contact 6 in such manner that the contact is open when the pressure available for the operation of switch A is normal, but becomes closed when this pressure drops below its normal value. Contact 6 controls the relay D in such manner that this relay is energized or de-energized according as contact 6 is closed or open. The circuit for relay D will be obvious from the drawing. Assuming that contact 6 becomes closed, relay D will become energized, whereupon, the circuit for relays E and H will then pass from the lower terminal of battery K, through front contact 7-? of relay D, winding of relay E, line wire 18, resistance l t, lever con eration of switch A has fallen below its normal value. The reversal of the polarity of the current supplied to the circuit for relays E and H will not, however, affect relay E.

It will be seen from the foregoing that have provided means for indicating the condition of the fluid pressure available for the operation of switch A without the necessity for additional line wires between this switch and the remote point from which the switch is controlled.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that va rious changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

' 1. In combination, a fluid pressure operated railway switch, a signal governing trafiic over said switch, a relay for the control of said signal and responsive in the same way to current of either normal or reverse polarity, an indicator, a relay selectively responsive to current of normal and reverse polarity for controlling said indicator, a circuit including said two relays in series, manually operable means for varying the strength of the currentin said circuit to affect said signal controlling relay, and means responsive to the fluid pressure available for operation of said switch for changing the pelarity of the current supplied to said circuit and to thereby affect the operation of said indicator controlling relay.

2. In combination, a fluid pressure oper ated railway switch, a signal governing trailic over said switch, a relay for the control of said signal and responsive to changes in the strength of the current with which it is sup plied but not to reversals of the polarity of such current, a lever for the control of said signal, a relay associated with said lever and selectively responsive to current of normal or reverse polarity, an indicator controlled by said second relay, a circuit including said two relays in series, means associated with said lever for varying the strength of the current in said circuit to affect said signal, and means responsive to the fluid pressure available for operation of said switch for changing the polarity of the current supplied to said circuit and to thereby aliiect the operation of said indicator controlling relay.

3. In combination, a fluid pressure operated railway switch, a signal governing traflic over said switch, a relay for the control of said signal and responsive to changes in the strength of the current with which it is supplied but not to reversals of the polarity of such current, a lever for the control of said signal, a relay associated with said lever and selectively responsive to current or" normal or reverse polarity, an indicator controlled by said second relay, a circuit including said two relays in series, means associated with said lever for varying the strength of the current in said circuit to affect said signal, a third relay associated with said switch for changing the polarity of the current supplied to said circuit, a contact for controlling said third relay, a source of fluid pressure for the operation of said switch, and a pressure responsive device connected with said source for the control of said contact.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARRY C. VANTASSEL.

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